State loosens metrics; county could see more students back in schools
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Bonanza Jr / High School. (Image: Sergio Cisneros)
The Oregon Department of Education today (Oct. 30) announced new metrics that at this time could allow Klamath County School District to bring more students back for in-person instruction, including students in its larger and suburban schools.
The district is reviewing the new guidance and will provide more information to families early next week, said Glen Szymoniak, superintendent of the Klamath County School District. The district will be operating under current school models until official changes are announced. Changes will not affect KCSD Online students, and district online programs will continue.
“We appreciate the support we received from parents and public health officials in promoting schools reopening for in-person instruction,” Szymoniak said. “We will continue to be diligent with safety and health protocols in keeping schools safe for students.”
The new metrics are effective immediately, but Monday will be the first time districts will be able to do a required two-week review under the new metrics and determine next steps. Cases are counted through Sunday and reported on Mondays. Under the new guidelines, case rates will be evaluated over two weeks instead of week by week.
Under the new metrics
Klamath County could reopen schools to in-person instruction for all K-12 students if the:
county case rate is less than 50/100,000 (34/68,000) over 14 days
county test positivity rate is less than 5 percent
Klamath County could reopen schools to in-person instruction for all K-6 students if the:
county case rate is less than 100/100,000 (68/68,000) over 14 days
county test positivity rate less than 8 percent
The district still must follow all ODE Ready Schools, Safe Learners guidelines for face coverings, social and physical distancing, and cohort sizes. For more details, follow the link to read the latest version of Ready Schools, Safe Learners (new metrics start on page 12). Follow this link to see the county’s week-by-week COVID-19 case counts and metrics: Klamath_County_Covid-19_data
As of next week, three more KCSD schools are moving to the next phase of reopening.
Free T-shirt all Bonanza Junior/Senior High School students will get when they arrive at school Monday morning.
Beginning Monday, Nov. 2, ALL Bonanza Junior/Senior High School students will return to in-person classes four days a week, Monday through Thursday. Friday will remain a day for credit recovery, intervention, and office hours. The school will provide students and families with specific details. Bonanza Elementary School, due to staffing and space constraints, will remain in its current A/B cohort hybrid.
Bonanza Junior/Senior High is the fourth school in the district to return students four days a week. Students at Lost River Junior/Senior High, and Merrill and Malin elementaries returned four days a week in early October. At this time, K-3 students in the district are attending in-person instruction at their school either four days a week or under a hybrid model (two days in school, two days distance learning).
Chiloquin Elementary and Chiloquin Junior/Senior High will be moving to the next phase of reopening beginning Tuesday, Nov. 3. Chiloquin Elementary will bring back K-2 students under a hybrid model -- doing in-person learning in the classroom two days a week (Monday-Tuesday or Wednesday-Thursday) and distance learning the remaining three days. Grades 3-6 will attend in-person classes one day a week. The remaining days will be distance learning. Chiloquin Junior/Senior High School will bring back students 7-12 under the A-B hybrid model, doing in-person learning in the classroom two days a week (Monday-Tuesday or Wednesday-Thursday) and distance learning the remaining three days. The schools will provide specific information regarding schedules and distance learning guidelines.
“The district will continue to monitor health metrics and will notify families if any changes need to be made to school models,” Szymoniak said. “It is vital that we all do our part to stay healthy and prevent the spread of Covid-19.”